Scandal! Should Malia Obama Leave Her Peace Shirt At Home Next Time?
Posted by: Leonora Epstein
Filed in:
style
9:10AM, Monday July 13th 2009
We (and the rest of the world) have eagerly been devouring the Obama ladies’ fashions like a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. And while there’s been some mild criticism when Michelle wears something that any normal celeb would, most of the world has taken the role of friendly fan. Yet, things became serious this weekend when it wasn’t Michelle, but Malia under the spotlight. And let’s just say things got really, really ugly.
As Barack Obama was campaigning at the G8 summit for Russia’s reduction of its nuclear weapons, so too was his eldest daughter, Malia. Stepping out in Italy in this shirt, Malia began expressing her own views. While from a fashion standpoint, the peace sign might simply conjure images of hippies in long hair and baggy clothes, it was born in 1958 as the official logo for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. But it would seem that Malia’s wardrobe choice wasn’t so informed so much by style, but rather political agenda, because the 11-year-old wore a peace sign shirt on two different occasions. (Props for fearlessly repeating styles.)
Unfortunately, some saw Malia’s shirt as an opportunity to vent hate, and in some cases, extreme racism. After the photo was posted on a conservative blog called “Free Republic,” commenters went wild: “A typical street whore.” “A bunch of ghetto thugs.” “Ghetto street trash.” “Wonder when she will get her first abortion.” These hateful accusations appear to be the completely random, wild rantings of people with some serious amounts of pent-up rage.
There were, however, some who expressed support of the shirt. Reports the U.K.‘s Guardian, “A CND spokesman expressed delight at seeing the logo on a member of the first family: “Perhaps Malia has been the driving force behind the administration’s push towards a new disarmament deal? We’ll get an ‘I’d-rather-grow-up-than-blow-up’ T-shirt in the post to her straight away.”
While we find the hate discourse to be utterly inexcusable, we have to wonder if the Obama children should be voicing their political opinions just yet? If not to keep business and personal life separate, then surely to avoid another episode like this again. What do you think? [Gawker.com, Guardian]
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Kiki T
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 09:20 am: [report]
Malia and Sasha should be kept completely off limits.
Raugiel
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 09:22 am: [report]
When an 11 year old wearing a peace sign t-shirt qualifies as a scandal, its hard to imagine that there is much hope left for American culture. :(
whatshesays
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 09:24 am: [report]
She’s eleven. Seriously, people? Seriously?
java82
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 09:27 am: [report]
Seriously… I mean, maybe kids nowadays are more politically well-versed than in my day, but I had a peace necklace when I was a pre-teen. I don’t think I was making too much of a political statement then. And even if Malia is, a. good for her, and b. who the f*** cares?
averardoll
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 09:32 am: [report]
People need to stop getting their skivvies in a wad and worry about real things..not a friggin’ peace sign shirt on an 11 year old.
Humble Bee
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 09:33 am: [report]
Its just a shirt, and she’s just a kid. Those people shouldn’t be saying those things; “street whore” who wants their kids to be called that. Thats not right.
Annika Harris
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 09:37 am: [report]
I don’t think it’s Malia’s responsibility to keep hate mongers at bay by not making her own clothing choices. I don’t think she was making a political statement, but if she was, I don’t think rational people are bothered by the T-shirt.
writergirl
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 09:56 am: [report]
She’s eleven, and even if she wasn’t making a political statement,her mother, her mother’s handlers,or even her father’s handlers, should have nixed the tee-shirt. They aren’t dumb—they should have known her fashion choices are going to be as closely watched as any other pre-teen icon—and that is what she is fast becoming. They should have been able to anticipate that this could/would entertain reactions from both sides of the aisle.
That said—her body guard looks like P.Diddy. Or is that P.Diddy. Cute! Guess that’s one way to make your daughter ok with secret service protection.
Shasta
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 10:03 am: [report]
She’s 11. I agree with @java82.
I bet she and Michelle had a knock down over the shirt, and Malia won. Maybe she was tired of J. Crew.
Kids wear the craziest sh**. My neice insists on wearing the crappiest, ugliest T-shirts with flip-flops that belong in a locker room and toes that are each painted a different color.
It’s cute and sweet though. She’ll be into American Apparel soon enough.
GreenAura
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 10:47 am: [report]
I cry at the thought of my child having to grow up in a world where “peace” is considered a hate slogan amongst radical right-wingers. To Malia: thank you love, for being smart enough to know the true meaning of peace.
jimnist10
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 10:50 am: [report]
Wow. She’s 11. I effing wore peace signs and flowers (and also grunge flannel) at that age practically everyday. And I agree with Shasta. She and Michelle totally had a fight over it Malia won. I’d be sick of J. Crew too if I wore it to everything.
Those hatemongers should just shut up and pick on an adult, like her dad, which I’m sure they do anyway. It’s just sickening…
AbbyUNC07
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 10:55 am: [report]
She looks cute. What do they expect her to wear, a suit? I had a whole range of peace sign attire when I was in elementary school in the 90s
bogart4017
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 11:01 am: [report]
Kids are off-limits. Period.
Inakika
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 11:18 am: [report]
How ignorant! She’s a child, some of those so-called adults need to lay off. Whether or not she’s trying to make a statement, it’s her right.
kw1223
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 11:23 am: [report]
My 13 year old has a peace sign shirt. She wears it in her regular t-shirt rotation. Luckily people in our neighborhood don’t know that it’s not a positive thing.
SlumberPartiesByRachel
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 11:30 am: [report]
Michelle raises her children to have opinions and confidence in who they are. I think that’s awesome Malia is becoming a socially aware citizen.
GreenAura
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 11:52 am: [report]
@ kw1223: Why wouldn’t peace be a positive thing?
stephoney22
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 12:08 pm: [report]
Funny, when I think of former Presidential Candidate’s children and I see the words “whore”, “thugs”, “trash”, different former presidential and vice-presidential candidate’s families come to mind…But I guess that would be wrong of me to say because the people who wrote those things about the Obamas probably voted for the Grand Ole Party…
Inakika
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 01:23 pm: [report]
Stephoney22,
TOUCHE’!!!
Goldfinch86
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 01:24 pm: [report]
I think she’s young and old enough to wear what she wants, she’s 11 but she’s also smart. I’m certain she was just wearing it because she liked it, not because she was making a statement about nuclear war and other nations. She’s a child, I’m sure that if they had thought it would be a direct insult she would not have been allowed to wear it. This is a world wide symbol for peace in general now, I’m going out on a limb and going to guess that Russia didn’t care she was wearing it because they no longer see the symbol as what it was orginally intended for.
PinkRanger
wrote on July 13 2009 @ 01:28 pm: [report]
Peace signs are still, and have always been, a fashion statement more than a political one. For every person that wears a peace sign to support a cause, there are 20 who wear it because it looks cool. And honestly, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.
zazuangelaura
wrote on July 14 2009 @ 02:39 am: [report]
I would like to weigh in on this one. Malia has done nothing but grow on me since the first day I gained knowledge that there was a Malia. To me, she is entitled to wear clothing that her spirit is attracted to as long as it isn’t indecent. As an eleven year old that is a symbol that she embraces. Good for her. I think that is so sweet and endearing that she chose a symbol that a fifty year old loves. And however her young and searching mind feels about it is her business. And that she is a celebrity even makes it more delicious for me. The Obama girls are going to make their mark in our world and you had better prepare yourself for something lovely and classy from those two.
retract12
wrote on July 14 2009 @ 02:44 am: [report]
Unbelievable! Here you have an eleven year old child wearing what is part of todays fashion, and the lowlifes of America crawl out from under their rocks. First of all, as so many posters have already pointed out, Malia is an eleven year old child. Secondly, what is wrong with wearing a peace sign on ones shirt? I have to ask why this baby is more of a “street whore” than the alcoholic, partying adult children of one former President. Do these people realize that they are representing America when they make these statements? Do they realize that the world is focusing on, and making judgements about America based on these incredibly idotic remarks? Not only that, the gross disrespect these people are displaying toward our First Family puts this country in a diplomatic stronghold. When will these deadbeats, who should have been thrown out with yesterdays trash, going to get it. There is no place for this sort of hate.
lunchbox
wrote on July 14 2009 @ 11:08 am: [report]
What’s wrong with peace? Useful idiots.